We have been handed a life sentence: family hits out at 'disgrace' jail term for Dogan Ismail murderer

The family of a youth murdered as he tried to retrieve his brother’s stolen mobile phone today slammed his killer’s sentence as “soft” and a “disgrace”.

Dawda Jallow, 15, from Peckham, was ordered to serve at least 13 years of a life sentence after he was found guilty of murdering Dogan Ismail on the Aylesbury Estate in December last year.

Mr Ismail, 17, was stabbed in the hearts after he approached Mr Jallow in an attempt to rescue his brother’s stolen mobile phone.

Today Mr Ismail’s mother said the sentence was “absolutely disgusting” and claimed her family had been handed a “life sentence” following her son’s death.

She said: “There’s no such thing as closure for us now. This sentence makes me sick – it’s heart breaking for all of us. My son’s killer will spend 13 years in jail where he will be fed and educated. His mother can still visit her son but I will never be able Dogan again. It’s absolutely disgusting, a disgrace.”

She added: “We’re all over the place since his death - it has destroyed us. He was a wonderful, kind and caring human being and he was loved by everyone he knew. Last year I celebrated my son’s birthday on holiday with him in Turkey.

“This year I will be forced to celebrate it at his grave side. It is completely unfair. In my eyes – if you take a life then you should be given life in prison.

“Soft sentencing like this will only encourage others to do the same, if there is no deterrent then how can you expect anything different.”

Mr Jallow, a member of the notorious Ay gang, had been part of a group who snatched the phone from Mr Ismail’s brother two days earlier.

Mr Ismail’s brother Orhan also called for stricter sentencing for juvenile involved in serious crime.

He said: “The attack on my brother was both violent and gruesome. The law in this country has to change otherwise minors will be left to believe that they can get away with killing innocent people like my brother.

Meanwhile Doghan’s aunt Alev Hussein also paid tribute to her nephew. She said: “Dogan was a loving boy with a bright future ahead of him and now he has been left with nothing. We are so angry by the verdict especially after the suffering that Dogan’s death has caused to this family.